


A Small Problem

by Masdevallia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Affection, Body Modification, Cuddling & Snuggling, During Timeskip (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), F/M, FE3H Kinkmeme, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Microphilia, Puns & Word Play, Size Difference, Soft Hubert von Vestra, Spell Failure, Touch-Starved, except this isn't sexual or anything, lots and lots of teasing, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24173749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masdevallia/pseuds/Masdevallia
Summary: While practicing some magic, Bernadetta accidentally shrinks to the size of a teacup. The person who finds her in this state is the person she finds scariest: Hubert von Vestra.
Relationships: Bernadetta von Varley/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 9
Kudos: 88
Collections: FE3H Kink Meme





	A Small Problem

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really like explore the kinkmeme too much and I never imagined I'd do a fill since what's typically posted isn't up my alley but it got posted to the hubernie discord server and the requester specifically wanted fluff (which I love, love, love writing) plus I had some brainworms involving Pixie Bernie and a normal sized Hubert, and well...That, and I was supposed to take a break from serious writing after hubernie week.
> 
> Link to the request: https://3houseskinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/476.html?thread=546524#cmt546524

“No! No! No! _No!_ ” Bernadetta von Varley screamed because of how big the world all around her had become.

She didn’t know how in the world this could have happened. She tried to recall the events that led her to this moment. _Okay, first I was here, in the classroom, readying some magic spells. I know the Professor isn’t here anymore but I tried! I really tried. And...and…_

“Why am I so small!” she screamed again. “Why me? Why me?”

Somewhere along the line as she shrunk, she managed to get on top of the Professor’s desk in the Black Eagles classroom to where the spellbook she’d been using was flipped over to the page she was using for practice. She was learning how to use freeze-based spells. There was _nothing_ in here that had to do with shrinking! Nothing!

Did she chant something wrong? What was the issue? _What did Bernie do wrong this time?_

“Help! _Help_!” She walked over to the edge of the table and a dizzy feeling overcame her. Bernadetta had never experienced vertigo before but the distance from the table to the ground felt like stepping over a ledge. It would easily result in her death. 

But now, she would have to stay imprisoned in this table, like a confined princess on an island. There was no way she could jump off. And there was no way she could easily find water or food. She would starve here to death!

“Someone! Please!”

It had only been four years since the Professor had disappeared. In that time period since they vanished, there were usually at least two of the Black Eagles residing here at the monastery. Bernadetta was here most of the time, but occasionally she had tagged along in missions or skirmishes.

She went over the list of people who had left for the time being. Dorothea was currently in the capital on business. She had taken an interest in helping children and penniless families stay safe and well-fed through wartime. Ferdinand was doing something similar throughout the Empire outside of the capital. Petra was the most absent, often splitting her time between Brigid and Fodlan. Edelgard was supposed to leave for the capital today, but would be back in a few short days.

Those were the closest of her friends and the people she trusted most, aside from Edelgard. 

That left Linhardt, Caspar, and…

A cold air had entered through the door. Possibly from the door opening or because she recognized that shadowy silhouette. “What’s this? A call for help?”

_Oh no! Not him! Please not him!_

Hubert von Vestra had shown himself in, and his eyes had fallen squarely on her tiny form. He had recently gotten a haircut, making it much easier to see both of his eyes and it helped only a teeny bit. She still found him completely terrifying. A mirthful smirk had fallen upon his face. “Well, well, well,” he said, watching her tiny form. “If it isn’t Bernadetta.”

“Um...help?” she managed to squeak out.

His grin got wider. He resembled one of the more...playful cats she’d feed around the pier, more specifically, the Hresvelgion Whisker. That cat liked to play with its meals. Oftentimes it had given Bernadetta...gifts she didn’t quite like to dwell on. Like a dead mouse, half eaten, and smelling putrid. The worst part was that it had happened in the middle of the dining hall, _while_ she had been taking her lunch. Now that she could see Hubert’s eyes more clearly, she thought he resembled the cat even more. Except now she had a feeling she was like the poor, disemboweled mouse, moments before meeting its untimely demise. Bernadetta swallowed dry air, cowering next to the half open spellbook. “Usually when you ask for help, it’s due to a...smaller problem.”

Hubert had been mocking her. “I knew it! You’re making fun of me! Just leave Ol’ Bernie to die, okay?”

He did not leave. He had gotten on his knees and watched her at eye level instead. “I said nothing of the sort.” He had brought a hand to the desk, his index and middle fingers making a walking motion in her direction. His fingers moved quickly, already meeting her. Her knees shook, causing her to fall down in horror. 

Hubert’s index finger poked her side. Due to him wearing gloves, it didn’t hurt or anything. But she could see it in his eyes. He thought she was stupid, useless at everything she did. “You’re the size of one of Ferdinand’s teacups.”

“Ow! Stop it!”

“Am I hurting you?”

He wasn’t. She shook her head. “You think I’m dumb for having messed up a spell in the first place. Stupid Bernie! Always doing things she shouldn’t be doing! This is why you--”

“If you must know, size modification spells are rather advanced in level. I’m wondering as a person who specializes in magic just how you, an archer, managed to pull off such a feat, and with your clothes still intact. So, on the contrary, really.” His index finger patted the top of her head. 

The sensation took her aback. It felt...nice? Was this affection?

Bernadetta looked away from him in embarrassment. 

“Um…” She was at a complete and total loss for words. Big, scary Hubert...was giving her something resembling affection?

“Here,” he said, stretching his palm.

“Um...what?”

“You may sit on my hand.” Bernadetta froze, her eyes watching his long, long fingers, outstretched and waiting for her. _No! It’s a trap, Bernie! He’s going to get you like a flytrap! He’s going to snatch you up and...and…_ “Unless you’d like to stay here in this barren wasteland of a classroom, half freezing to death.”

“No!” She moved to his outstretched palm, sitting on it. 

“Good. Now try to sit, still, Bernadetta,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.” He began to walk with her in his hand. After they had left the classroom, Hubert placed his other hand for more space, and despite his offer, she had remained rooted to the same spot. She was too afraid to move, still. A voice in the back of her head was telling her he was like a flytrap. If she moved or struggled, it would only lead her to her demise.

It was cold outside, but to be fair, it was the Guardian Moon. If there was a silver lining at least it was already dark outside.

“Are the winds too turbulent for your size? I can try to cover it up with my other hand.”

She felt an appreciation for his words. She shook her head. “Um, no thanks. I’m fine.”

“Now tell me, just how exactly did you get yourself in this miniscule predicament?”

“P-please stop making fun of me!”

The index finger of his free hand patted her head again. Bernadetta closed her eyes, unable to ignore the warmth that traveled around her body. That and the feel of his gloves on her thighs. They were actually quite comfortable. She never thought the material of his gloves would feel like a cloud against her, especially now that she was hovering in the air just over him.

“Um...I was thinking about the Professor,” she began. “They’ve been gone for almost four years now. And well, last month was, um, four years since we made that promise to meet up. And um, I wanted to help them in whatever way I can. But magic and Bernie don’t mix very well.”

“Then why not ask me?” he said. 

“Huh?”

“You could always ask for my assistance in the matter, if you’re so set on learning.”

Bernadetta’s hand smoothed the ground. Then she remembered the “ground” was Hubert's hand. _Eep!_ She couldn’t answer the question. Could she? “Um...I think you know the answer to that, Hubert. And...and I’m still sorry!”

“Ah, is that it? Because you find me quite frightening, yes?” His fingers found the top of her head again, but this time he did not stop stroking her hair with it. 

Bernadetta was confused by this. Why was he being like this? What did he have to gain by extending this sudden tenderness? 

“Um...yes. I still find you a little scary! N-not like before, and your um, h-haircut has helped a little!” Actually, he had already aged well into his features. He looked less cruel than he once did during their academy days, but still quite intimidating.

“Is that a compliment from you, Bernadetta?”

“Um…”

“Well, I’ll take any form of compliments, no matter how small.”

“Hubert!” 

“Well, regardless, it is only but a spell and likely not permanent. Perhaps you’ll be short in appearance perhaps for a day, at most.”

“A day?” Was this how long this _torture_ would last? Then again, torture wasn’t really the best way to put it. It actually... _No! What are you thinking, Bernie?_ She was lost in the motions of his gentle patting. 

“Are you really dreading the short amount of time we’ll spend together? I’m wounded.” He laughed, although thankfully not one his scary laughs, but rather a more amused laugh.

Despite that, she crossed her arms, refusing to speak to him for his constant teasing.

He had walked into the dining hall. It had been mostly empty due to it being past dinnertime. Hubert grabbed a free basket, placed several napkins on it and began to fill it with sweets and vegetables. They were all her favorite foods. And most were bigger than her. Especially the strawberry cake he had selected. How did he know that she loved those?

“Here, have this,” he said, offering her a carrot. It was a baby carrot and yet despite that, it was a quarter of her height and quite heavy. Hubert watched her, lips upturned, as she ate the carrot. Despite her taking big bites, the carrot didn't seem to get any tinier. “I can’t help but wonder...will one of these carrots be enough to fill you up? Surely your proportions have changed. Either way, I intend to make a single trip here.”

“Um...thanks.”

She heard a yawn and it had come from neither of them. She knew that voice.

Linhardt von Hevring had come out from under a table. “Morning. What time is it?” he asked Hubert. It wasn’t morning but to Linhardt, it was always morning whenever he bothered to awaken from his slumber. His sleepy gaze found Bernadetta. “Well, either I’m still dreaming or that’s Bernadetta, who is the size of a newborn kitten.”

“Yes, I’ve got quite the small problem on my hands.”

“ _Will you just stop it_?!” 

“It sure looks like it,” Linhardt said. “This isn’t the usual sort of crest magic. I’d love to study the effects of minimizing and maximizing spells, but I’m afraid it just won’t hold my interest. Unless there’s an aspect involving crests. Then if I may, can I spend a few hours studying the effects her crest could have on this? It could be my chance.”

Bernadetta cowered. The carrot rolled off Hubert’s hand and into the ground. He paid no mind to it. Rather, he stroked her hair again, as if to reassure her. Bernadetta instantly felt better, yet at the same time, questioned _why_ she was feeling so safe with _Hubert_ , of all people.

Hubert shook his head. “You may not. I won’t allow her out of my sight. As the person in charge of the Monastery while Her Majesty is away, it’s my responsibility to ensure that everything runs smoothly.”

_Thank you._

"Hm. Very well then. If you need me, I’ll be in the library. My research...never ends,” he said, finishing with a yawn. They watched Linhardt leave the dining hall. 

“How are you faring? Are you comfortable?” he asked while taking the basket of food and walking away. “Oh. It appears you’ve dropped your carrot. Would you like another?”

He offered her a brand new carrot, which she accepted. “T-thanks!” The carrot was heavy and she stumbled with it. Hubert’s grin was wider than ever as he watched her grapple with it. _He probably thinks Bernie’s weak. It’s not my fault the carrot is so big and heavy!_

“Let’s go somewhere a little more comfortable, shall we?” Bernadetta almost froze, partially in fear as to what Hubert meant by “comfortable” and also due to the winds that had started to pick up. Hubert, being as observant as ever, took notice. “Are you cold? Perhaps you’d like to hide in my sleeve? At least for the time being?”

Bernadetta nodded. “Yes, please. I’d l-like that. It’s a little chilly.”

“Just a _little_?” he asked. 

Bernadetta screamed at her gaffe. “I told you to stop it!”

“You said so yourself. Hold tight.” He carefully inserted her into his sleeve, where she was nestled comfortably between the fabrics of his jacket and the long sleeved shirt he wore underneath. She held onto her carrot and nibbled as Hubert walked. It was surprisingly comfortable and warm inside his sleeve, although Bernadetta found herself missing his head pats. _Why am I missing those?_

A few minutes later, Bernadetta heard the creak of a door. “We’re here,” he said.

When she poked out of his sleeve, she saw the room they were in was the typical dorm room at Garreg Mach and _definitely_ not her dorm room.

“Um, Hubert? Where are we?”

“It’s my room, of course.”

“ _Your room_ ?! What?” She had walked past his room a few times before and it always astonished her how plain it was. But that still didn’t detract from the fact that she was _in his room_ at his mercy!

“I’ve seen your room before, Bernadetta, and it’s likely a hazard to you at the moment. A needle would likely serve as a lance to your small body. I cannot risk you obtaining severe injuries from that, especially considering how idle you’re known to be with them, now can we?”

“It was just one time!”

He brought a hand to his sleeve and offered it to her. She obliged. Their eyes met. He looked less like a predator to her and looked...sincere. “You’ll be safer with me. I swear on Her Majesty’s life.”

“Um, okay, then.”

He dropped her down to the bed as he walked over with the basket full of food to his desk and carefully placed the food there. Bernadetta had settled in the bed, sitting on his pillow. It was actually quite nice, being in a bed that was miles and miles big. Or at least to her. Everything felt so big and so _soft_? Everything being huge was expected, but the softness, the care and comfort she had since Hubert found her had been unexpectedly awesome. 

“I’ll be back in a moment,” Hubert said before promptly leaving the room. Bernadetta lay back on the pillow. It actually smelled quite good, too. Kind of spicy but also like clean linens. Her small height had made all of her senses even stronger. Before she could dwell on the thought, Hubert had proven to be true to his word and was back, holding a teapot and teacup in hand. He set it on the desk. A few moments later, he was back to the bed. “I see you’ve made yourself at home here.” He offered his palm again and carried her to the other side of the room where his desk was. “I made a makeshift room just for you, Bernadetta.” 

The room was his desk, yes, but on one corner were the foods he had gotten from the dining hall. Next to them were the giant teapot and the teacup, which was filled with water. Bernadetta begrudgingly noted she was the same size as the teacup. “Um, is this Ferdinand’s?”

“What he won’t know won’t kill him. I’m certain he’d make a special exception for you.”

On the other side of the desk was the basket, now stored with what looked like linens. An unused glove was laying there. 

Bernadetta felt very overwhelmed at the gesture. Tears began to form. This was among the nicest things anyone had ever done for her, but her confusion was at an all-time high. “Wh-why are you being so nice?” 

“I’m not exactly the monster you paint me as, Bernadetta. I am capable of empathy.” He shushed her, his gloved fingers carefully wiping the tears that fell down her face. “I realize that aside from your natural disposition, you’re quite overwhelmed. I did obtain some cake for your consumption.”

He once again patted the top of her head as she sniffed. He was kind enough to cut the cake into smaller pieces for her. Once again, she had been shocked by the depths of his kindness.

She walked over to the cake and he pulled up a chair, watching her. They chatted about the spell she was trying to do, which led to other topics, such as how much she missed the Professor and how he had reluctantly admitted, he too, missed their presence and direction. Despite their lack of emotions, they were the emotional center the Strike Force needed to band everyone together. 

There were other deviations after that, including foods, books, the library, and a shared need to be away from others for a time, although Hubert had hidden it better than she could. He became more and more human to her the more they spoke. And his still unexpected gestures of tenderness weren't lost on her while he caressed her hair over and over again. Bernadetta was certain by now it had resembled the unkempt state it was always in during her academy days.

“Oh! I’m being rude!” she said. “Bernie’s so rude sometimes. Do you want some cake? I’ve been eating everything and you’re just sitting there.”

“It’s alright. I’m afraid I don’t share your preference for sweets.”

“Oh. Um, okay then. But I’m kind of full and a little sleepy.”

Hubert helped her up the basket, where she nestled most of her body inside the unused glove. The linens he had provided were an adequate substitution for the bed she was used to sleeping on. She wasn’t used to sleeping in her every day outfit, but she didn’t have much of a choice. “Thanks!”

“Please alert me if you need anything else, Bernadetta,” he said, giving her one final bow.

Bernadetta faced away from his bed as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

...Until a nightmare had woken her up. She woke up whimpering and wasn’t exactly surprised when Hubert took notice. 

“Is something the matter, Bernadetta?” He had half risen. She could see his dark silhouette and make out his features. He didn’t look scary to her. At least not now. 

“I had a nightmare.” She felt a chill run up her spine. “And it’s a little cold in here.”

“Just a little, then.” Bernadetta groaned at his teasing. “Would you like to sleep here where it’s warmer? I don’t move around too much when I sleep so you’ll likely be safe.”

Bernadetta hesitated. She had never, ever slept in the same bed as someone. Except for that time she crashed at Dorothea’s after telling her about what happened to Yuri all those years ago. This would be different. This was a man, and...and...her father told her such interactions made her unmarriageable. 

But her father was under house arrest. Word would never get back to him. And Hubert was so nice to her, even though he teased her relentlessly. “Um...okay.”

He was there in seconds, lifting her up and then carefully placing her beside him. She was just over a pillow he had set up and the temperature difference was stark. She felt like one of her crochet plushies now as she was close to him. It was a great feeling, actually. He snuggled closer to her. He was fairly close to the touch, even considering her size.

“Your dream...what was it?”

“I don’t remember,” she said truthfully. “I get bad dreams all the time but I can never remember most of them.”

“I wish I had the luxury in forgetting.” Bernadetta saw the pain in his expression. She wondered if that explained the dark circles that had formed under his eyes. “Maybe someday I’ll tell you about them. For now, we ought to sleep. I’m not much for sleeping, but...” He closed his eyes and began to breathe, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Bernadetta scooted even closer to him, admiring how peaceful he looked, his face just inches away from hers. A wild and very sudden instinct had formed and she pressed her lips against the softer-than-expected expanse of his cheeks. He was all cheekbones, but she didn’t expect him to feel that way, not ever. Not that she had thought about it. 

The feeling gave her a bubble inside her chest. He was now at his least terrifying. One day, she would figure out something she could do to mitigate the effect. 

Permanently. 

Because now she was starting to feel...to feel...She shook her head. _What I’m feeling is sleepy again._

She yawned, then closed her eyes, following Hubert in his sleep.

***

The first thing Bernadetta felt when she regained consciousness was the feeling of an arm wrapped snugly around her. When her eyes opened and the world was back to its regular proportions again. It was still early as only the barest hints of daylight permeated through the room.

The spell had worn off. 

Bernadetta exhaled a sigh of relief, feeling an exhilaration that she was back to normal again…

Which was followed by a melancholy feeling that flowed harder within her. Being small had caused Hubert to dote on her. No one had ever shown her such devotion before and the feeling was kind of addicting. She wished for a life like this, where someone would take care of her and treat her with such fondness. 

She turned in Hubert’s direction. 

He was fast asleep, the soft daylight coating his scary features, replacing it with an undeniable serenity. His body was warm against hers. Bernadetta didn’t want him to let go. 

This was the best she had slept in a while.

Hubert stirred and she could see a small fleck of green meeting her gaze. “Bernadetta. It appears you’ve grown again.”

“Again?”

“Considering your recent initial growth spurt.” He did not let go of her. _Good._ “It’s still early and Lady Edelgard isn’t here at the moment.” She knew what he was implying. 

Bernadetta snuggled against his chest, feeling more at ease than ever before. Another hand moved to the top of her head, just as it did when she was the size of a teacup. Her final thoughts before resting again were how she wouldn’t mind practicing this spell in particular again and spending more time with Hubert.

Maybe then, it wouldn’t be a small problem, after all.


End file.
